Lori

Looks like a site that just tries to get people going.  Life's too short for that kind of stuff. I feel sorry for anyone who actually feels the kind of anger and hatred that appears on that site.

Guess I was curious of the overall U.S.A. murder rate.  When broken down from State to State it would be difficult to gage an overall number. Maybe it is on the website you noted.  I will take a look.

Yes Christine, I agree.  Americans just don't iron any where near as much as Europeans.  I think they would drop dead before ever ironing a sheet.  When I sent my daughter to visit my Mom in the States, she put all her clothes in the dryer.  They never fit again, all shrunk.  Just never thought to tell her not to do that. I do find that the garments, fabrics, etc., that I buy here just don't wash and dry the same way.  I don't know why (maybe its the water), but I put very few things in the dryer (with the exception of towels).  I iron like everybody else.  I have even been known to iron underwear here and there. When I lived in the States, I rarely ironed as the wash and dry system worked.  Its just different here. And I LOVE the flannel sheets from La Redoute.  You are right the fitted ones never need to be ironed.

Daley - I understand a bit more now.  If your wife speaks French, she will have many cultural clubs she could join in Avignon.  There are ALL types.  There are also all types of classes that can be taken - art, pottery, writing, etc.  If she doesn't speak much French, she will have many language clubs she can join to learn.  There are all types of shops in the city of Avignon, for all budgets.  If you are German, I'm sure you could hook up with other Germans should you wish to do so. As to the rental websites.  I cannot offer you much on this.  I think you will find most of that type of data once you are on the ground here.  There certainly are websites, but often they are not kept up to date and certainly don't list the great majority of rentals.  The websites noting properties for sale has (so far) far outweighed the websites for property for rent. I think the price you pay in Germany for a 100 m2 apartment could be found here too, electricity too.  As always, this depends upon neighborhood and quality. I like Avignon very much.  I find it is not too big and not too small, making it quite manageable and fun.  The only time I don't like it is July and August when it is too crowded with tourists for me.

I buy my sheets from La Redoute also.  Their better quality ones cannot be beat and when they offer you a discount (usually sent to you in the mail), it is even better. I agree about ironing King sized sheets - what a nightmare, takes forever.  Depending upon my mood (and my wallet), I might take them in to 5 a 5 for laundering and ironing for 4 euros.  I do like the idea of running the iron over them once they are on the bed.  Interesting concept, only king beds are so big, you would have to be ON the bed to fully iron it.   

Very interesting.  I wonder what the rate is in the U.S.A.

Well said Miki

I think Tag's dipped into the sauce a bit..

In my opinion, your iron must be at least 1900 watts of power.  I wash, hang to dry (inside, not on the line as too many bugs leave their spots all over my white sheets), then iron.  I told each flat sheet in half and iron both sides.  If you have a really powerful iron, you might not need to iron both sides.  But, folding them in half makes it so much more manageable.  As for fitted sheets, I fit the corners onto the end of the ironing board and pull the fabric tight, holding it down with my hip as I iron the corners (all four).  Then, I iron the rest of the fitted sheet. I too don't like ironing, but it is one of those things.  The sheets look and feel so nice when they are properly ironed.  

You might find the answer to your question somewhat detailed.  As I understand it, if the work you are doing is being done in this country, you must file here, irrelevant of the fact that the enterprise you work for is not in France.  It doesn't necessarily mean that you will be taxed further if you prove that you are doing the work for a Canadian or foreign country and are paying taxes into their system.  You will most likely be required to attach that tax return to the return you file here. Try reading  www.service-public.fr  There is a a huge database of tax information on the site, along with quite a bit of other data you should review if you plan to stay here, AND, it is available in English. Not to file, well, obviously that would be your decision, but do read up on the facts before you decide. 

Hi Laine !  May be headed your way this week for a trip to Auchan...  

I buy the LeClerc  ECO (cheap) brand laundry detergent and find it works very well.  I still like to use OMO now and then, but really can't afford to pay the difference, so..... I also found that the LeClerc ECO mayonnaise tastes more like mayo without dijon added to it.  The fact that it is dirt cheap only adds to the pleasure. I also like most of Auchan's store brand products too.  Still like the Lidl (3 ply) loo paper too.  It is a good price and the right thickness (not too thick, not too thin). On the same line though, don't like Leader Price's or Lidl's Feta Cheese.  Have to have Salakis brand, just tastes so much better. I am always keen to try the cheaper brands of things.  If I don't like them, I just won't buy them next time, but very often, I DO like them and save a small fortune over time.  

Good point Teamedup - although, it sounds like if she wasn't attending school, she might have to stay home with the parents she is so unhappy with.. Sounds like a terrible situation for such an impressionable age.  Even if this girl has given her parents tons of trouble over the years (and I have no idea whether that is the case or not), the parents still have a responsibility to her well being.  I wonder why she might not have been able (or be able) to stay with another family member or even an adopted family in the UK until her graduation??  Someone should be thinking of her future. Sad

What exactly would you like to know?  Apt. rental rates in Avignon run the gammut.  I have a good friend who just moved into a two (small) bedroom apt. in the center of Avignon for 660 Euros per month.  She does have a parking space for her car. St. Remy is not Avignon.  Do you intend to live in Avignon and work in St. Remy, or vice versa?  Where are you coming from?  That may have a bearing on cost comparison of electricity, water, etc.  Do you plan to buy or rent? I have found people in this area to be quite friendly.  All shops, services are within easy distance of St. Remy.  Avignon has all available. If you give us some specific areas of interest, I'm sure you will get a detailed reply.

Had lots of nice thunder and bits of lightening, but only a little bit of rain (here in Bedoin 84 Vaucluse).  Guests said they had driven up to the top of Mt. Ventoux round 3 pm Sunday and it was really stormy up there. Had to reset all the clocks this morning.  

www.service-public.fr  

Zeb - very good point, same thing happened to us.  Guy wanted 100 Euros to to a short distance. 

Yes, faster for me

Absolutely hearbreaking story that always gets the tears going each time I read about it or see it on the news.  Wish I could shelter some, but am too far away.

Ron  -  did it, don't get it....

mascamps - yes it does run around 20 euros per change-over.  I just take it out of the payment we receive.  The items I leave are not necessarily gourmet.  I shop at Lidl and Leader Price mostly - short of the wine, which is local.  The items are always of good quality, but reasonably priced.  I don't charge the guests for this as I think it is a nice welcome kit (one I would appreciate when I rent).  It is always very well received and that makes me happy. To arrive on a Saturday evening to a totally empty place - no loo paper, etc. is not very nice (my opinion).  But as I said, to each his own.  Some people don't mind packing those things in their luggage. My current guests arrived from New York into Paris hours late.  They missed their connection from Paris to Marseille and upon arrival in Marseille many hours later, their luggage did not arrive with them.  They called me frantic and exhausted, worried they would arrive around 9 pm with no food to eat.  I felt terrible for them.  They wanted to know if restaurants would seat them that late....  no  .... not here in the sticks.  Told them not to worry.  Something would be there for them.  I prepared a tomatoe tarte, green salad, homeade balsamic/garlic vinaigrette and purchased two tarte au citron.  Baked the tarte in the apt. so that it would smell nice in there and be warm around their time of arrival.  Okay, so it is a little out of the way, but you would not believe how good it made them feel - and therefore me too.  

Loopy Lou - I know.  We have rented many a gite over the decade and can recount so many occasions when we felt we had rented old clinics with absolutely NOTHING in them.  We try to make ours a little bit better.  Most people have been very grateful.  Especially the ones who arrive past 7:30 pm when everything is closed. Oh well.  To each his own.    

I agree with Arnold and Deby on their points.  Being American myself, my first trip to France was an eye opener, albiet ions ago, but never-the-less.  Was shocked to find that public phone booths didn't take coins, public toilets were very often shared by men and women, turkish toilets, no one ever properly waited in a line or waited their turn for anything, you must stay out of the far left lane on the autoroute - lest you get run over, many rental cars at that time did not state what type of gas they took, many gas stations didn't and don't take foreign credit cards or debit cards, etc., etc. But none of that really has to do with the gite.  sorry We have had only 3 American bookings in the last 2 years.  Perhaps due to the dollar to the euro rate, who knows.  Most of our bookings are from Canada, New Zealand, Great Britain and Holland.  The American guests we have had were very different one from the other.  It is a big country you know.  We had two men (partners) from California, a family from New York and currently a couple from New York.  With the exception of the ones in the middle it was a great experience.  We do provide good thick towels (expensive here !) and top line bedding.  I know Americans are picky about this sort of thing.  We also stock our kitchen with nearly everything one could think of for cooking, baking, etc.  We also provide a large amount of provisions at no extra charge.  All soaps, kitchen, dishwasher, bath, hand, laundry, foil, plastic wrap, olive oil, vinegar, eggs, mustard, mayo, sliced bread, jam, peanuts, chocolate, butter, etc., etc.  All of this freshly changed from week to week as I KNOW Americans detest the thought of using something the previous person might have used... just one of those things.  So, we put fresh, unopened items in the unit every week. Out of all the renters we have had, the Americans we had were not really much different from all the others.  Oh they do like ice, so I make sure there are fresh ice-trays in the freezer for them.  My current guests looked in the freezer the minute they got there to see if there were any ice trays.. I ALWAYS show them how to use the appliances, windows, doors.  A lot of Americans are not used to those door locks you must pull up as you turn the lock.  Many don't read French, so manuals for appliances are useless.  

JohnM - I love an intelligent man ! The LeClerc in Carpentras has also been remodeling for what seems like ions !!  They have remained open through it all.  Same gripes as were noted above.  Constant digging up of floors (the noise level is horrible), moving goods all over the place, tools and electrical wiring all over the floors. I suppose the worst part is the parking lot.  They are STILL building a high rise parking lot - and leaving it open as they do so.  Every single time I am in the store, they are on the loud speaker calling out some poor schleps tag number, telling him/her to go to their car in all urgency.  You take your life in your own hands driving in there. Long story short, I still find I get the best selection of products for the best price there...  Gas is cheapest there too.    

Zeb100 - not sure if your post was referring to mine, or just in general.  I myself, have no problem with hunters as long as they aren't shooting 50 meters from my backyard (alcohol in one hand, shotgun in the other).  It was a clear danger to my children, playing in the yard and perhaps even in the house - our house is filled with windows.    Oh and by the way, I do not fall into the cateory of Treehugger or Brit.